LATEST CLIMATE CHANGE REPORT OUTLINES CHALLENGES FOR QLD

Ms Jones said the Climate Change in Queensland: What the Science is Telling Us 2010 report gives a uniquely Queensland perspective on the latest science of climate change and its potential impacts in our State.

“The 2010 report draws on a review of more than 220 peer-reviewed scientific papers published in the past three years, and highlights the fact that we now have multiple lines of scientific evidence showing that Queensland’s climate is changing,” Ms Jones said.

“It presents the differences between weather and climate, the causes of climate change and latest developments in international, national and Queensland research.

“It also discusses the latest observations and projections showing that Queensland is getting hotter, sea-levels are expected to continue to rise, and the impact of extreme weather events will increase.

“Average global temperatures have already increased by about 0.75 ºC since 1900. The land–ocean temperature record indicates that 14 of the past 15 years have been the warmest since 1880.

“The predicted changes in average rainfall and temperatures and increased frequency of severe weather events, including droughts, floods and severe tropical cyclones, could reduce Queensland’s primary and agricultural production, as well as having a significant impact on the wellbeing of affected communities.”

Ms Jones said the report is an important document for government, business, industry and the community to help us understand how the climate is changing, and what it will mean for us in the coming decades.

“The climate system is complex but a better understanding of how the climate is changing and what the impacts mean will help each and every one of us to make more informed decisions about what we can do to deal with it in the future,” she said.

“The report highlights, for example, that our iconic Great Barrier Reef will be impacted by increasing acidification of the ocean and warming of the ocean due to more carbon in the atmosphere.

“This means greater threats to the unique corals of the reef, because as the water gets more acid, coral growth is reduced and as it warms it encourages the kind of algae which block essential light to coral.

“This information helps to inform the Bligh Government’s action in working with Queenslanders to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and deliver reforms such as the Reef Protection Rescue Package.”

Ms Jones said, to coincide with the release of the report, leading scientists from the Climate Scientists Australia network will meet with politicians from all sides of politics today, in a series of briefings aimed at improving communication between legislators and climate science experts.

“Climate Scientists Australia is an independent group whose mission is to advance the use of balanced, scientifically-based information in decisions on climate-related issues and they are running a national series of briefings for politicians to promote an open dialogue between community leaders and CSA members,” she said.

“Climate literacy in our community will become increasingly important as regional and national governments around the world work towards global agreement on collective action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

“Better communication of the science of climate change will ensure our community level responses are better planned, timed and targeted.

“Today’s briefings are an important step in improving communication between legislators and scientists.”

Ms Jones said Queensland had developed one of Australia’s strongest state-based climate science facilities in the Queensland Climate Change Centre of Excellence.

“Queensland is contributing to the preparation of the next Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report due in 2014 through the Queensland Climate Change Centre of Excellence, the only state-based climate science research centre in Australia,” she said.

“While action at an international and national level is vital to combat climate change, the Bligh Government is already helping Queenslanders to make a difference.

“The Queensland Government accepts that climate change is real and through our climate change strategy ‘ClimateQ: toward a greener Queensland’ we are delivering programs to help Queenslanders adapt and reduce the impacts of climate change.”